Press Release

A Reading of a Muslim Candidate’s Victory in New York’s Primary Election and Its Political Implications

Under the headline, “A Muslim of Palestinian Origin Wins the Democratic Party’s Nomination for the New York State Senate,” the website Yamanioun published the following report: “The Palestinian-American Abeer Qawas [Aber Kawas] won the Democratic primary for a seat in the New York State Senate representing District 12 in Queens, marking a new political achievement for the Arab and Palestinian community in the United States. Qawas is known for her community activism in New York City, and this victory puts her on the threshold of the general election scheduled for next November.”

This report and the event it describes bring together several contradictions, which can only be explained by what the Prophet (saw) described as the years of deception that come upon people in a time when truth and falsehood are mixed, and standards are turned upside down. To set matters in their proper context and clarify what may be confusing Muslims in America on this issue, we mention the following:

First: Since the report begins by describing her as “Muslim,” this means the candidate believes in God and the Last Day, and one of the requirements of that faith is conveying the message; that is, delivering the message of Islam to all people. God’s address to His Prophet Muhammad (saw) is also an address to his Ummah, as He said: [وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا كَافَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ] ‎ “We have not sent you except as a bringer of good news and a warner to all mankind, but most people do not know.” [TMQ Saba: 28]. Muslims are bearers of a noble message and callers to the great religion of Islam, so that they may lead humanity out of the unjust of man-made systems and laws into the light and justice of Islam. In doing so, they deserve God’s reward in Paradise and avoid His punishment in Hell. This is the role of the Muslim in this life, especially Muslims in Western countries who live in a non-Islamic environment. It is not the role of the Muslim to adopt the way of life of disbelievers, who struggle under man-made systems and unjust laws. Muslims living among non-Muslims must know that living well in these countries requires giving their people the best of what Muslims have, namely Islam. In this way, the Muslim becomes positive in society rather than isolated or passive, as some people imagine, while still not approving of their religion, way of life, laws, or constitutions, which are made by humans and favor capitalist power holders at the expense of the general public.

Second: The report says that the winner is a Muslim from Palestine, and this is a strange contradiction. Everyone knows that what drove Muslims residing in Palestine to emigrate from the blessed land of Palestine and settle in America was the expulsion by the international community, led by America and Britain, of the people of Palestine from their homes and their displacement to various countries around the world, including America, and the settlement of a people with no right or connection to that blessed land. America’s stance on the cause of Palestine confirms the reality that the American state is a state built on colonialism, locally in America and globally in various countries of the world, including Muslim countries and the blessed land of Palestine. In addition, the blood of Muslims in Palestine and Gaza has not yet dried, and America has not stopped supplying the Zionist entity with various forms of deadly weapons that kill our innocent people in that pure land. So does any Muslim accept participating with the colonizer in the colonization of his country by adopting its constitution, laws, and colonial policies?

Third: The claim that any Muslim reaching any government post, and describing that as “a new political achievement for members of the Arab and Palestinian community in the United States,” as the report says, is a false claim with no basis. Participation in colonial political systems is not a “political achievement,” but rather subordination and loyalty to something other than what we have been commanded to align ourselves with. We have an excellent example in the conduct of the noble Companions who migrated to Abyssinia. When they fled the oppression of the Quraysh to seek refuge in Abyssinia under the king before whom no one was wronged, they did not ally themselves with the king or his priests. Rather, the debate of Ja‘far ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, with the king of Abyssinia and his clergy is the clearest evidence that the Companions were bearers of a message and did not fear, for the sake of Allah, the blame of any critic. They were in the presence of the king who protected them, yet that did not prevent them from speaking the truth about our master Jesus, peace be upon him, which was contrary to the religion of that king.

Fourth: Every Muslim in this country, especially activists, scholars, and those concerned, must carry the message of Islam as a civilizational alternative, fulfilling the duty of conveying the great message of Islam, as stated in the Qur’an:

[ادْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ]

“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of the rightly guided.” [TMQ An-Nahl: 125]. This should be done in emulation of the Companions who lived in Abyssinia, while recognizing the difference between the king of Abyssinia, who was a just king before whom no one was wronged, and the capitalist colonial rulers of America, from whose evils no Muslim country has been spared. The best thing a Muslim can do is call to the faith in the great religion of Islam and working to implement its rulings as a comprehensive way of life in a political entity governed by what Allah has revealed. The system of governance in Islam is what establishes justice and equality among all people, without racism or classism.

Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir

in America